Air conditioning unit



R- W. ABBOTT AIR CONDITIONING UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 25, 1965 INVENTOR. Rov W. ABBOTT H15 ATTORNEY Dec, 6, 1966 R. W. ABBOTT BJWABB AIR CONDITIONING UNIT Filed July 25, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ROY w. ABBOTT ms ATT ORUEY United States Patent 3,289,433 AIR CONDITIUNING UNIT Roy W. Abbott, Jelfersontown, Ky., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed July 23, 1965, Ser. No. 474,332 3 Claims. (Cl. 62262) The present invention relates to air conditioner units and is particularly concerned with units of the type designed to be mounted in a window opening.

Air conditioning units of the self-contained type comprise a casing or housing divided into indoor and outdoor air compartments and a refrigeration system including an indoor heat exchanger or coil disposed in the indoor compartment and an outdoor heat exchanger or coil disposed in the outdoor compartment. Such units also include air circulating means including a fan in each compartment for circulating room air through the indoor air compartment and outdoor air through the outdoor compartment. In the design of any unit, air conditioning capacity, i.e., cooling capacity, is of course a major consideration. Cost is another important consideration and for a unit of any given cooling capacity a design which lends itself to ease of manufacture and assembly line production and which permits the use of relatively low cost materials and construction is of course desirable. For maximum customer acceptance, it is also important that the unit be compact, lightweight, of pleasing appearance and easy to mount within a window opening.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide an air conditioning unit of a design optimizing the aforementioned considerations.

Another object of the invention is to provide an air conditioning unit including a structural member designed to support all of the components of the refrigeration and air circulating systems and a non-structural appearance casing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a selfcontained air conditioning unit which is easy to manufacture and which is of such construction that the casing is not required to provide any of the structural strength necessary for the support of the refrigeration and air circulating components of the unit.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specifi' cation.

In accordance with the illustrated embodiments of the present invention, there is provided an air conditioning unit adapted to be supported on the inner sill of a window comprising a casing forming all of the exterior walls of the unit and a structural member within the casing. The structural member includes a vertical transversely extending partition dividing the casing into an indoor section and an outdoor section and open framework on each side of the partition. All of the components of the refrigeration system and air circulating means are mounted on the structural member which also includes one or more brackets or pads adapted to overlie the inside window sill or stool so that substantially the entire weight of the unit, when mounted in the window, is supported by the structural member. The casing which forms only a non-structural enclosure for the operating components of the unit, is preferably composed of a non-co'rrodible, appearance material, such as a plastic material and a portion of the bottom wall thereof forming the bottom wall of the outdoor section includes a depression defining a condensate sump in which condensate from the evaporator collects and from which means, driven by the fan motor,

flowing through the outdoor section.

3,289,433 Patented Dec. 6, 1966 For a more detailed description of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a horizontal view, partly in section, of one embodiment of an air conditioning unit incorporating the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken generally along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 44 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a detailed sectional view of a portion of the unit of FIGURE 3 taken along line 55 of FIG- URE 3.

With reference to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawing, there is shown one embodiment of the present invention in the form of a self-contained air conditioning unit adapted to be mounted in a window opening and comprising a casing or housing generally indicated by the numeral 1 which completely encloses a structural member generally indicated by the numeral 2 on which all of the operating components of the unitary air conditioner are mounted.

The structural member 2 includes a substantially vertical partition 3 which divides the interior of the casing into an outdoor section or compartment 4 and an indoor section or compartment 5. The partition 3 includes a lower edge portion 6 adapted to extend below the outer shoulder 7 of the indoor sill or stool 8 of a window and an upper section 9 projecting above the general plane or the top wall of the casing and adapted to rest against the inner surface of the window sash 11 when the unit is mounted in a window opening.

The structural member 2 also includes a first pair of spaced arms 12 supported on the partition 3 and extending therefrom into the outdoor section 4 and a second pair of arms 14 similarly extending into the indoor section 5. The partition 3 and the two open framework portions defined by the pairs of arms 12 and. 14 provide the structural support for the components of a refrigeration system which in the illustrated embodiment of the invention include a compressor 15 supported on the vertical partition 3 and in the outdoor section by means including brackets 17. For unit balance, the compressor 15 is preferably disposed in a recess 18 in the partition 3 so that it is positioned substantially above the outer edge 7 of the sill 8. An evaporator 20 is mounted on the forward ends of the arms 14 within the indoor section 5 while a condenser 21 is similarly mounted on the ends of the arms 12 in the outdoor section 4. The compressor 15, condenser 21, suitable flow restricting means, and evaporator 20 are connected in closed, series-flow relationship whereby refrigerant vapor is withdrawn by the compressor from the evaporator 15 and compressed refrigerant discharged into the condenser 21.

Also supported on the structural member 2, more specifically on the substantially vertical partition 3, is fan means for circulating outdoor air through the outdoor compartment 4 and indoor air through the indoor compartment 5. This fan means includes a motor 23 directly secured to the partition 3 on the outdoor side of the partition for driving a fan 24 for circulating outdoor air through the outdoor section 4 and a blower 25 for circulating indoor air through indoor section 5.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG- URES l and 2, the casing 1 forming a non-structural enclosure for the components of the refrigeration system and air circulating means is of a two-part construction including an outdoor portion 27 suitably secured to the outdoor side of the partition 3 and an indoor portion 28 suitably secured to the indoor side of that partition. Both portions are composed of a corrosion resistant material,

preferably a molded plastic material having acceptable appearance characteristics. The outdoor portion is provided with louvered air passages 29 and 39 whereby outdoor air can be drawn into the outdoor section 4 by the fan 24 through one of these passages and discharged through the other of the passages after contacting the condenser 21 within the outdoor section 4. Louvered passages 31 and 32 on the indoor portion 28 provide openings for the circulation of room air by means of the blower 2 through the indoor section and over the evaporator 20.

As previously indicated, the casing ll forms the entire exterior surface of the unit and to this end both the indoor and the outdoor portions thereof are provided with flanged portions 34 and 35 adapted to engage the upper edge 9 of the partition 3 and to overlap and engage the lower portion 6 of the partition 3. Channel shaped caps 36 adapted to slip onto the overlapping flanges 34, 35 and edge portions 9 and 6 seal these portions of the casing.

As is more clearly shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawing, the flanges 34 and 35 preferably extend around the entire periphery of the casing in overlapping relationship with extending edges of the partition 3 and in these areas the overlapping flanges and edges may be secured together by any suitable means. It will also be understood that suitable filler panels 39, which may be mounted on the casing or provided separately, are employed to seal the portions of the window opening on each side of the unit.

For the purpose of supporting the components of the refrigeration system in such a manner that the casing 1 need not provide any of the structural support for the unit, there is provided one or more pads 44 in the form of brackets extending from the lower portion of the partition 3 in a position to overlie the top surface of the indoor sill 8 when the unit is mounted in the window. These pads 40 are in direct contact with the bottom wall 41 of the indoor section 28 which in turn rests directly on the upper surface of the sill 8. As the bottom wall 41 of the casing is in contact with the sill, the actual weight of the unit is supported by the pads 40 forming part of the structural member 2 and with the center of gravity of the entire unit slightly outwardly from the plane of the partition 3, the unit is substantially balanced within the window with the slight unbalance in a direction such that the upper edge portion 9 of the partition 3 bears, or is biased, against the sash 11.

For the purpose of disposing of condensate collecting on the evaporator 20 during operation of the unit, one or more openings (not shown) are provided in the partition 3 adjacent the bottom wall 41 of the casing whereby condensate collecting on the bottom wall 41 will flow through these openings and onto the bottom wall 43 of the outdoor section 27 which is at a somewhat lower level than the wall 41. The condensate collected on the bottom wall 43 is picked up by a slinger ring 44 mounted on the periphery of the fan 24 and discharged into the air stream passing over the condenser 21.

In FIGURES 3 and 4 of the drawing showing a second embodiment of the present invention, the same reference numerals have been employed to indicate the same or similar parts.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4, the partition 3 is designed to extend vertically from the inner edge 7 of the sill when the unit is mounted in a window opening while the upper end 54) is offset slightly towards the indoor direction for overlapping engagement with the sash 11. The partition also includes a strengthening flange 51 extending along its vertical and top edges and an inwardly extending flange 52 along its bottom edge adapted to overlie the sill 8 and support the structural member and the components mounted thereon on the sill.

A first pair of spaced arms 53 extending longitudinally into the outdoor compartment 4 are mounted on the partition 3 adjacent the lower edge portion thereof and support a generally invert U-shaped condenser 54. Similarly,

inwardly projecting spaced arms 55 support an inverted U-shaped evaporator 56 within the indoor section 5.

The non-structural casing is of a box-shaped construction including a bottom wall 57, side walls 58 and 59 and inner and outer end walls 60 and 61, the open top of this box-like structure being closed by means of an inner top wall section 63 and an outer top wall section 64.

Recesses 65 in the vertical side walls 58 and 59 of the casing are adapted to receive the inner ends of filler panels 66 connected together by means of at least one slide member 67 extending along the bottom wall 57 of the case inwardly from the sill 8. The recesses 65 and the filler panel 66 are, of course, in a plane adapted to bridge or close the portions of the window opening on each side of the unit when the unit is mounted on the window sill 8.

The outer end wall 61 is provided with a plurality of louvered openings for the circulation of an outdoor air stream that passes through the condenser 54 before being discharged through the louvered openings in the portions of side walls 58 and 59 outwardly from the partition 3. The indoor air is drawn into the indoor section 5 through the louvered openings 69 in the inner end wall 56 of the casing and discharged through a plurality of adjustable directional louvers 70 provided in the top wall 63. A fan 71 is employed to circulate the indoor air through the indoor compartment 5. A depression 72 in the bottom wall 57 in the outer bottom wall portion of the casing provides a sump for the collection of condensate which is discharged by means of slinger ring 44 into the air stream passing through the outdoor section 4.

In this second embodiment of the invention, the arms 53 and 55 forming the open framework for supporting the condenser and evaporator are positioned relatively close to the bottom wall 57 when the structural member and its supported components are placed in the casing. These arms 53 and 55 also are adjacent the lower side edge portions of the casing so that during handling of the unit, as for example when it is being installed in the window opening, any lifting force applied to these areas of the casing will be transmitted to the arms 53 and 55 thereby limiting any possibility of distorting the casing.

As in the embodiment of the FIGURES 3 and 4, the casing forms the entire exterior of the unit. In order to seal the area adjacent the upwardly extending portion 50 of the partition 3 a flange 73 on the window edge of the top wall 63 extends over the portion 50 and downwardly along the inner window side thereof. If desired one or more sealing gaskets such as gaskets 74 and 54 may be provided for sealing the area between the sash 11 and the top flange portion of the unit.

From the above description, it will be seen that there has been provided a compact, self-contained air conditioning unit including a primary structural member on which all of the components of a refrigeration system and air circulating system are mounted so as to permit the use of a lightweight, non-structural appearance casing. By forming the casing of a non-corrodible material and preferably of a plastic material, the usual metal base pan characterizing the presently known air condi tioning units is eliminated along with its weight and the bottom wall of the casing performs the condensate disposal functions of the usual base pan without the additional weight thereof.

Whi e there has been shown and described specific embodiments of the present invention it will be understood that it is not limited thereto and is intended by the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A window mounted room air conditioning unit adapted to be supported on the inner sill of a window 3. A window mounted air conditioner unit adapted to comprising: be supported on the inner sill of a window comprising:

a refrigeration system and indoor and outdoor air circulating means,

inner surface of the window sash,

said casing top wall including an upwardly extending flange portion for receiving said upper edge of said partition and being arranged to engage the inner surface of the window sash.

a casing composed of non-structural plastic material and forming the entire exterior top, bottom, side and a structural member including a substantially vertical 5 end walls of said unit,

partition functioning to divide said unit into an ina structural member contained within said casing and door section and an outdoor section, means includincluding a substantially vertical, transversely exing an open framework for supporting all of the tending partition dividing said casing into an indoor components of said system and said air circulating section and an outdoor section and open framework means on said partition, and flange means extending 10 comprising spaced arms extending longitudinally from the lower edge portion of said partition into from a lower portion of said partition into each of said indoor section for supporting the entire weight said sections, adjacent the lower side edges of said of said unit on the inner sill of a window, casing bottom wall,

a plastic casing including an indoor section and an outa refrigeration system including an evaporator, a comdoor section cooperating to enclose completely all of pressor and a condenser, and fan means including a said structural member and the components supfan motor and outdoor and indoor fans for respecported thereon, tively circulating outdoor air through said outdoor said casing including a depression in the outer section section and indoor air through said indoor section,

bottom wall portion for receiving condensate from said partition including a recess therein, said system, means for supporting said compressor in said recess 2. A window mounted air conditioner unit adapted to and said fan means on said partition,

be supported on the inner sill of a window comprising: said evaporator and condenser being supported respeca casing composed entirely of non-structural plastic tively by said spaced arms in said indoor and outmaterial and forming the entire exterior top, bottom, door sections, side and end walls of said unit, said casing bottom wall including a depression therein a structural member contained within said casing and defining a non-corrodable condensate sump below including a substantially vertical, transversely exsaid outdoor fan for receiving condensate from said tending partition dividing said easing into an indoor evaporator, section and an outdoor section and open framework means driven by said fan motor for discharging the comprising spaced arms extending longitudinally condensate into the path of the air stream passing from said partition into each of said sections, over said condenser,

a refrigeration system including an evaporator, a cornsaid structural member including means extending from pressor and a condenser, and fan means including the lOWSI edge portion of Said partition into said illa fan motor and outdoor and indoor fans for respec 1100f Section 4 overlying Said Sill forming Substantively circulating outdoor air through said outdoor ti lly the sole support for said unit when mounted section and indoor air through said indoor section, in a window,

means supporting said compressor and fan means di said casing top wall including an upwardly extending rectly on said partition, flange portion for receiving the upper edge of said said evaporator and condenser being of an inverted partition and being arranged to engage the inner U-shaped construction and being supported respec- Surface of the Window sash. tively by said spaced arms in said indoor and out d sections, I References Cited by the Examiner said casing bottom wall including a depression therein UNITED STATES PATENTS definmg a non-corrodable condensate sump below said outdoor fan for receiving condensate from said ,3 3 10/1936 Haunz 62-429 evaporator, 2,561,278 7/1951 Hill 62 429 and means dr1ven by said fan motor for discharging 2,711,083 6/1955 Hess 62 262 the condensate into the path of the air stream pass- 2 719 410 10/1955 D ing over said condenser, j 62*427 aid structural member including flange means extend 2751760 6/1956 Wflhams 62429 ing from the lower portion of said partition and 2,939,297 6/1960 g 62262 overlying said sill for supporting substantially the ,9 6/1960 Mac Leod 62-429 entire weight of said unit when mounted in a win 2,945,359 7 1 Mac Leod 62 280 dow and an upper edge portion for overlapping the References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,496,355 2/1950 Peltier.

6 J, WYE, Primary Examiner, 

1. A WINDOW MOUNTED ROOM AIR CONDITIONING UNIT ADAPTED TO BE SUPPORTED ON THE INNER SILL OF A WINDOW COMRPSING: A REFRIGERATION SYSTEM AND INDOOR AND OUTDOOR AIR-CIRCULATING MEANS, A STRUCTURAL MEMBER INCLUDING A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL PARTITION FUNCTIONING TO DIVIDE SAID UNIT INTO AN INDOOR SECTION AND AN OUTDOOR SECTION, MEANS INCLUDING AN OPEN FRAMEWORK FOR SUPPORTING ALL OF THE COMPONENTS OF SAID SYSTEM AND SAID AIR CIRCULATING MEANS ON SAID PARTITION, AND FLANGE MEANS EXTENDING FROM THE LOWER EDGE PORTION OF SAID PARTITION INTO SAID INDOOR SECTION FOR SUPPORTING THE ENTIRE WEIGHT OF SAID UNIT ON THE INNER SILL OF A WINDOW, A PLASTIC CASING INCLUDING AN INDOOR SECTION AND AN OUTDOOR SECTION COOPERATING TO ENCLOSE COMPLETELY ALL OF SAID STRUCTURAL MEMBER AND THE COMPONENTS SUPPORTED THEREON, SAID CASING INCLUDING A DEPRESSION IN THE OUTER SECTION BOTTOM WALL PORTION FOR RECEIVING CONDENSATE FROM SAID SYSTEM. 